Chizik, players talk upcoming season at SEC media days

HOOVER — Auburn coach Gene Chizik wasn’t at the podium long before the inevitable question came: Who’s going to be taking snaps for the Tigers this season?

By Nick JohnstonTimes Sports Writer

HOOVER — Auburn coach Gene Chizik wasn’t at the podium long before the inevitable question came: Who’s going to be taking snaps for the Tigers this season?“It’s up for grabs,” Chizik said.The fourth-year head coach played it close to the vest at SEC media days Wednesday as to which direction he is leaning in the starting quarterback battle. Will it be sophomore Kiehl Frazier or junior Clint Moseley?“Well, the quarterback situation in general is probably everything that you know it is,” Chizik said. “We’re looking for the guy that can take Auburn and lead them to win football games. It’s going to be a battle. Obviously, in two-a-days is when that’s going to be decided. I’m not going to put a timeline on it. However, I will say the sooner the better.”Moseley took over as the starter about midway through 2011, passing for 800 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions. Frazier, meanwhile, played sparingly in all 13 games last season but showed flashes of versatility. After Moseley was injured in the season-ending Chik-fil-A Bowl, Frazier entered and rushed for two touchdowns in a 43-24 win over Virginia.In the spring, Frazier was named the MVP of the A-Day scrimmage.Chizik’s quarterback situation played a big part in the hiring of new offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler.“Scot has been great with developing quarterbacks,” Chizik said. “I think that’s been his forte. Even though he’s a young coach, that’s what he’s been known for.”Wide receiver Emory Blake certainly has seen improvement from all of the quarterbacks on the Tigers’ roster.“I think coach Loeffler knows what he’s talking about when it comes to being a great quarterback coach,” Blake said. “I’m excited to see what they do during the fall.”Auburn likely will look a bit different in 2012 from last season. The Tigers will line up in more of a pro-style offense and the quarterback will be under center more. Tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen said the new scheme is more “traditional.”“I’m still doing some of the same stuff as I’ve done in the past — being in the backfield, motioning around, and the same type of blocking — but I’m also more involved in the pass game this year as opposed to what I’ve done in the past,” Lutzenkirchen said. “Week in, week out, depending on the defense, we’ll do a number of different things.”No matter who starts the season at quarterback for Auburn, the Tigers have more depth at other positions than in years past. That’s something Chizik is particularly excited about.“I think we’re in a much stronger position as a football team than we were a year ago,” said Chizik, whose team went 8-5 in 2011 with a roster filled with underclassmen. “I think one of the reasons that we are there is that we finally, in my opinion (and) after so many years, have developed some depth and we’ve got a little bit of experience. If you look on paper right now, we have 16 returning starters. But the truth of the matter is we have guys, in many cases, right behind those guys that are considered one of the starters pushing them for a starting job.”Solid recruiting classes play a big part in the development of the Tigers’ new-found depth.“This is our fourth year,” Chizik said. “I stood up here four years ago and talked about building a foundation at Auburn that lasts a long time. We’re still doing that. There’s no question in my mind that your fourth full recruiting class, which is where we are at, is very pivotal in solidifying the foundation of what you’ve tried to build in the previous three years.”The coach who knows what it’s like to be a newcomer in the SEC welcomed an opportunity to give props to the conference’s newest teams, with this year’s addition of Missouri and Texas A&M. Those schools’ respective coaches took their first turn at media days Tuesday.“The things that I’ve heard right now, I’ll tell you what, I don’t think a lot of people are giving Texas A&M and Missouri the credit they deserve,” said Chizik, who spent four years coaching in the Big 12 prior to being hired at Auburn. “I will say that standing up here, because for four years I played in that league. They’re coming in here to compete and play their tail off on the football field. This is a great league, it’s a tough league, we all know that, (but) to think that Missouri and Texas A&M are going to come in here and all of a sudden they’re going to have their eyes open to football, that’s insane. These are two dang good football teams with dang good football coaches. They’re going to fit right in here.”Defensive end Corey Lemonier, who sported a different look from other players in wearing a bow tie, had some advice for the SEC newcomers.“It’s all about the trenches,” he said. “You’ve just got to get ready for the 330-pound offensive linemen coming at you. The defensive linemen will be breathing down the quarterback’s neck. I wish them well — that’s all I can do.”Added Blake, “I’m from Texas, so I grew up around Big 12 schools. For me to be able to play A&M is a privilege and I’m excited.”

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